


my fire burned bridges and melted time

by kitsurama



Category: Naruto
Genre: A is so not amused, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dysfunctional Family, Found Family, Gen, Jinchuuriki-centric, Kidnapping, Kushina-centric, Light Angst, What-If, b and kushina become bffs, five guesses who gets kurama, he thinks its a great idea until the pranks start, kushina becomes matatabis jinchuuriki, minato never saves kushina from kumo nin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-19 02:29:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11888013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitsurama/pseuds/kitsurama
Summary: Kushina is an outsider, a refugee from Uzushiogakure, and even if they are sister villages, even if the First Hokage’s wife was an Uzumaki, even if she lives and dies for Konoha, even if she becomes their weapon, she will never be one of them.If Kushina want’s to be saved, she’s going to have to be her own hero.(OR: Minato never interrupts Kumo's kidnapping attempt and Killer B is good at making friends.)





	1. Prologue

Kushina is all teeth and claws and snarling fury. She kicks and bites and tears at anything she can get her hands on, but her captors are three grown men, and it’s embarrassingly easy for them to hold her down and tie her up with chakra suppressant wire.

It take one backhanded hit to send her sprawling when she lunges after the one who tied her, teeth clenching down on his arm. The man snarls, wrenching his arm away and smacking her across the face. Kushina hits the ground with a yelp, the wind knocked out of her and before she can even _breath_ one of the men yanks her to her feet.

“If it wasn’t for the fact he wants you alive, you’d be dead for that stunt,” he sneers in her face, and Kushina can’t help the flicker of fear that races down her spine.

It’s nearing midnight now, and through the flashes of moonlight between clouds Kushina can make out the hitai-ate they wear. _Kumo,_ Kushina recognizes, and the dread that she feels is visible if the way the man grins at her is any indication.

His tips his head in a mockery of amusement and drags her forward, not caring when she stumbles. They’d managed to get into the forest outside of Konoha easily despite the guards, and Kushina doesn’t have hope anyone will realize she’s gone in time to save her.

Kushina is an outsider, a refugee from Uzushiogakure, and even if they are sister villages, even if the First Hokage’s wife was an Uzumaki, even if she lives and dies for Konoha, even if she becomes their weapon, she will never be one of them.

If Kushina want’s to be saved, she’s going to have to be her own hero.

It’s a thought that’s equal parts grim and determination. After all Kushina is an Uzumaki, and they fight with a ferocity of ten shinobi because they don’t know how to die quietly.

Kushina is a whirlpool fit to the shape of a girl, and from the stubborn set of her jaw, the Kumo shinobi should be weary of it. But they don’t see it, too busy scouting ahead and worrying about other Konoha ninja than the girl they captured.

Kushina has a plan, though, and their underestimation of her just works in her favor. Her hands are tied behind her back, red hair obscuring their view and with a slight of hand she yanks on the strands and lets them flutter to the ground.

She doesn't count on anyone coming to rescue her, but she is Mito’s replacement, so someone surely will notice her absence sooner or later, and if someone does come looking it doesn’t hurt to leave a trail. They might not want her, after all, but they do need her for her. Her special chakra and vitality as an Uzumaki makes her the perfect candidate to be the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki after Mito passes.

Another hand full of red hair slips between her fingers, and the man holder her jerks her to a stop. For a second she freezes, jaw clenched because her first thought is she’s already gotten caught, but then she catches sight of the man a little ways ahead, head tilted like he’s listening for something. It clicks a moment later that he’s a sensor.

“Patrol,” he offers, flashing through hand signs Kushina doesn’t recognize and the man holding her grunts and veers off to the left. They’re moving twice as carefully now, and the one holding her leans down to hiss, “Stay quiet or i’ll slit your throat, no matter what the boss wants.”

Kushina lets out a shaky breath, hands tugging at her red hair. She doesn’t respond.

(Kushina can’t help the faint hope and _want_ for someone coming to help her. For all her bluster and confidence, she’s lonely, and knowing that someone outside of Mito cares is all she wants. She loves Mito, loves her like she loves Uzushio.

But she won’t live long enough to see Kushina grow up, and it leaves something aching in her chest to know that once Mito is gone Kushina will be all alone with a demon sealed in her soul.)

There's a second where Kushina stumbles over a root, hands straining against the wire as they yank her forward. They’re not gentle, and Kushina didn’t expect them to be after kidnapping her out of the Senju Compound, but the spark of fury leaves her baring her teeth as her arms give a twinge in protest to the rough treatment.

They don’t spare her a glance, only keep moving silently and swiftly through the dense Fire Country forest.

Perhaps it’s a little bloodthirsty of her, but Kushina can’t wait until she can sink her teeth into their throats and rip them apart.  


 

They continue walking well into the morning; sunlight spills to the ground from between the tree’s. Kushina has become numb to the slight pain from pulling her hair out, and she’s sure by the end of this she’s going to be bald.

Nevertheless, she forges on, stumbling and cursing softly under her breath. They haven’t once stopped to rest, and she’s tired. Her limbs feel like lead and her knees and wrist are permanently bloody and dirt stained from all the times she’s tripped and her captors having to pull her up from where she’s fell. She still hasn’t learned their names, and in the privacy of her own head has started calling them scarface and asshole one and two.

The familiarity of the Fire Country's forest disappears the farther they walk, transforming into rock, and the sinking feeling in her gut isn’t only hunger and exhaustion but the knowledge she’s going to have to act soon lest she risk getting too close to the Land of Lightning.

(She doesn’t know if other shinobi are waiting for them at the borders, and Kushina really doesn’t want to find out.)

Kushina has a plan, abit not a very thought out one, but she’s always worked better on the fly. Spontaneity is a trait most Uzumaki are gifted with, but people tend to forget. The Uzumaki were feared for a reason, and it was only due to numbers and surprise that they got wiped out.

She thinks of her home, of Mito, and swears she will show the nation's exactly what makes an Uzumaki terrifying.

Kushina isn’t sure how much further from the border they are, but she has to take the chance while she has it. She plants her feet and even when scarface tugs on her arm she doesn’t move. He tugs more forcibly on her but she doesn’t give, and she takes what triumph she can get when she see’s his eyes narrow in irritation.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” She makes sure to make her voice as whiney as she can and wiggling around. She hides her triumph with a wince, wire sparking pain in her wrist from where it’s digging into the skin when asshole one snorts and says, “Make it quick.”

Kushina would marvel at how idiot and overconfident they are when scarface unwinds the wire from her wrist, but it works in her favor so she keeps it to herself. He still keeps the chakra suppressants on, but she can move her hands.

Kushina has never really been all that good at ninjutsu anyways.

Perhaps it’s because of how easy it was to catch her and how easy it was to get her compliant, perhaps they’re just that overconfident in their abilities. Either way when scarface sneers, “Don’t try anything funny,” and pushes her off towards the bushes she doesn’t question it. She does though stick her tongue out at them before sliding around one of the few tree’s left.

(Kushina might be from Uzushio, but she’s spent years in the forest of Konoha. The tree’s are as much of a weapon as kunai for the shinobi from the village hidden in the leaves.)

She takes a moment to just breath, leaning back against the bark of the tree and grimacing at her wrist. They’re bloody and raw and Kushina is sure if not for her bloodline she’d have an infection right now. But Kushina doesn’t have time to sit around, and she presses her fingers into her slowly bleeding wound and begins to write.

It takes her three minutes to finish inking her blood into the bark of the tree, and another two for the men to get antsy and come find her. She’s just putting the final touches on her seal when she hears the bushes rustle and she turns her back to hide the blood.

“Alright little girl what do you think you’re doing --” Scarface snarls, but Kushina’s only response a kick.

He doubles over, and Kushina slips around him and delivers a punch to the back of his head. She’s strong, but not strong enough to have him down for the count. But her plan doesn’t rely on her being the strongest person, just the fastest.

The hairs on the back of her neck stand and she flips to the side just as Asshole two swipes a kunai right where her head was. He snarls, calling up his chakra and Kushina smirks. The seal on the tree starts to glow, and he realizes a second too late something is wrong. Kushina throws herself backwards and a purple barrier springs forth. Asshole one throws himself against it with a growl but all he gets for it is bounced back to the ground.

“See ya, dattebane!” Kushina winks and turns to book it back the way they came. Her heart beats a steady thump in her chest, adrenaline numbing her to everything but _run, get away, don’t look back_ . Kushina isn’t sure how long she’s ran--five minutes, ten, an hour? The only thing she knows is fear when she feels a chakra signature flicker nearby and she gets thrown down with a curse. Kushina is kicked onto her back and she stares into the sneering face of Asshole two. _Damn it,_ she thinks, sucking in a breath and bracing for the pain.

His fist comes down and everything is black.

 

Kushina isn’t sure how long she’s been out when she comes to, only she’s now in a dank cell and probably in somewhere in Lightning Country. Her head aches something fierce, and there’s a stickiness to it that she knows means there's blood.

It’s quiet save for a slow dripping noise somewhere to her left, and Kushina pulls herself up, noting she’s been bound again, and sighs.

It’s not that she expected her plan to work, but she’d hoped. Hoped to at least give them more hell than she’s worth. But she made a rookie mistake when she forgot about the third man. It’s her fault, and the thought sits bitter with her as she glares at the bars separating her from the rest of the room.

Kushina isn’t sure how long she’s there, a few hours since she'd woken up, maybe, but with no way to know if she’s been out for more than a day it’s not reliable time frame. She’d been picking at her bindings and the blood crusting her wrist when the creak of a door alerts her to someone coming in, and she stills at the sound of footsteps.

She tries to mold herself into the shadows of the cell, but it’s a worthless attempt. The man, not one of the three who kidnapped her, looks amused. With no more than a huff, he unlocks the door and beckons her out.

Kushina is nothing but stubborn, and it seems the new man doesn’t have much patience because he rolls his eyes and proceeds to drag her out.

She curses and struggles but she’s weak and it’s a losing battle. Only the man’s hand on her elbow stops her from tumbling to the floor as she stumbles and her head spins in a way that speaks of a concussion. Kushina is terrified, and it sits heavy on her shoulders that she’s alone with unknown enemy nin and hurt and _is she going to be saved? What about Mito, she needs her, oh god, if she’s captured what happens to the kyuubi?_

Kushina isn’t embarrassed to admit she’s panicking a little bit, thoughts rattling her brain and she barely registers when she’s lead to another room and sat down. It’s only with the intrusion of foreign chakra that she starts, jerking sideways and tumbling from the chair.

“Shit,” She curses softly, blinking as the green glow from the medic nins hands fade. She offers a raised brow and jesters to the seat, and it’s only due to the dizziness in her head that Kushina complies with only a scowl.

Clearly the medic has dealt with many stubborn ninja, because she just snorts and calls up her chakra again to finish healing Kushina.

“There, all done,” She says, more to the man who dragged her here than Kushina herself. But Kushina offers a wordless thanks, and watches her leave the room with both relief and dismay. The man at her side doesn’t say anything, only pulling her to her feet and turning her towards another set of double doors.

Kushina contemplates making a nuisance of herself again, but ultimately decides that, she’s curious, and if they wanted her dead she would be dead.

She marches on.

  


Kushina stares at the Raikage, the Raikage stares right back.

“What,” Kushina breathes, wide eyed and incredulous. She expected torture, demands for information not-- _not this._

“Abandon your village and swear yourself to me.”

“No!”

“No?” Kushina isn’t sure she’s entirely imaging the feeling of electricity in the air as she gapes at the man behind the table. She still isn’t sure entirely what’s happening, but that doesn’t stop her from stuttering out, “I can’t! Konoha--”

“What has Konoha ever done for you, girl?”

“I have a duty there! Mito-sama needs me! Konoha needs me! Without me--”

“If they truly needed you, why did they let you get taken away without a fight? They don’t care for you.”

Kushina sucks in a breath that rattles her lunges, feeling like she’s just been punched in the chest. Logically she knows this is just to get her to doubt her place in her village, but by the gods it hurts because it’s true. No one noticed she was gone, no one came after her, no one cared.

But Mito cares, she reminds herself, and ignores the voice that whispers Mito only looks to her as her replacement and nothing more. Ignores the voice that says even if Mito cares she will soon be gone.

“You're wrong,” Kushina snarls, not caring how her voice wobbles, “They’re going to come for me and then you’re going to regret taking me.”

The Raikage just looks at her for a long moment, a sort of pity in his eyes that’s too close to amusement to do nothing but make her bare her teeth at him.

“I do hope you change your mind Uzumaki-san.” With that one sentence, the guard takes the red haired girl's arm and opens the door after bowing to the Kage.

Kushina swallows the snarl she wants to spit out and jerks her arm in the man’s hold, a renewed determination to leave but the man holds tight. It’s a struggle all the way out the room, and Kushina doesn’t have to see it to know the Raikage is smirking at her back.

_Bastard._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A has his reasons for everything. I hope you give him a chance,” Is all he says, offering her a fist.
> 
> Kushina stares, features blank. B just grins, reaching out, ignoring her slight flinch and curling his fingers around her wrist. Kushina is ready to snarl and bite at the slightest provocation but all the Kumo boy does it curl her fingers and raise her hand enough to bump his fist against hers.
> 
> “I can see you still need time. See you soon, Red.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly rushed and short chapter. This was more a filler than anything. Hope you enough nonetheless!

The room is a mess courtesy of Kushina’s temper tantrum. They didn’t drag her back into the cell, and she’s not sure if she’s grateful or furious for that fact. The Raikage had them trade out the wire for separate chakra suppressant cuffs on each wrist, and Kushina can feel the seals they’ve placed around the room to cancel her attempts to use chakra as well, if the cuffs fail.

The man had placed her in a seemingly innocent looking room, if you could ignore the lack of windows and sharp things. She’d screamed herself hoarse and beat on the walls until her knuckles turned bloody after the man had shut the door behind her, cursing and snarling breaking whatever she could get her hands on.

Eventually she dropped to the ground, surrounded by broken furniture and ripped sheets and cried.

Kushina would admit she was scared. She was scared and angry and there was an ache deep in her bones that spoke of helplessness. Kushina was  _ tired _ , and for all her snarling and heated words she didn’t hold out hope for someone from Konoha to come get her.

Kushina might be one of the last Uzumaki, the Princess of Uzushiogakure and Clan Heir, but she’s replaceable. Someone else could handle the burden of the Kyuubi if she’s not there. She was the prime candidate, being an Uzumaki orphan, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others who can step up the task if she’s not there.

As much as she loathes to admit it, being the next Jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi gave her purpose. The Konoha citizens might not have liked, might have seen her as an outsider, a weapon to be wielded, but she had a place.

It wasn’t home, would never be home for her--but she was needed. It eased something in her chest to know that for all that she lost, for all she was one of the last Uzumaki, Konoha needed her to protect them.

Now she lays still, salt water tears collecting in her bright hair and she thinks,  _ they don’t need me. They never needed me. I was just convenient, not irreplaceable. Please let me be wrong _ .

It crushes against her chest like a physical weight, heavy and leaving her breathless.

Kushina closes her eyes and weeps.

  
  


Kushina isn’t sure when she fell asleep or how long she laid there on the floor. It’s only with a bang does she wake, shooting up and scrambling to her feet.

The first thing she see’s is a boy--her age, physically throw the guard out the door and slam it in his face as he tries to protest. The second thing she notices is the food in his hand, a kumo specialty, she guesses--it’s not something she’s ever seen before.

“Yo! The names Killer B and I thought you might be hungry!” the boy says, grinning widely.

Kushina is bemused, and it shows when she gives a long blink and mumbles, “What?”

The boy--Killer B just smiles wider, bounces over to her and pauses. He takes a moment, observing the trashed room (Kushina wouldn’t admit on pain of death she blushes at the state she left the place in) and snorts.

He places the tray into her hands, ignoring her sputtering and rights the small, low table with a flourish. It’s a little crooked, favoring the left side where she broke a leg but he doesn’t mind as he takes the tray back and places it down, one hand reaching to pull Kushina with him as he sits.

“Excuse me,” Kushina jerks her wrist out of the Kumo boys hold, bristling, and eyes flicker between the food and B suspiciously.

“Are you trying to poison me or something?” She hisses. “Acting all friendly but really it’s just a ploy to get me to join your village. I mean, ‘ttebane, asking nicely didn’t work so now they send you in to do it the painful way?”

B just blinks, flabbergasted, before bellowing a loud laugh that has Kushina jumping out of her skin.

“No way, no way!” He laughs. “It’s okay, don’t mind A. He’s a pretty good guy on the sly.”

Kushina isn’t sure how she feels about this boy, but the Uzumaki temper makes itself known as she bares her teeth, hair whipping around her.

“He kidnapped me!” She snarls, shooting to her feet. “How is he a good guy, dattebane!”

For a moment something flickers through B’s eyes--something she can’t recognize because it’s gone as fast as it comes. Though it causes her to pause long enough for him to rise, offering a smaller smile to his usual bright grin.

“A has his reasons for everything. I hope you give him a chance,” Is all he says, offering her a fist.

Kushina stares, features blank. B just grins, reaching out, ignoring her slight flinch and curling his fingers around her wrist. Kushina is ready to snarl and bite at the slightest provocation but all the Kumo boy does it curl her fingers and raise her hand enough to bump his fist against hers.

“I can see you still need time. See you soon, Red.”

  
  


She sits there for hours, staring at her hand. It’s not as if Kushina doesn’t know what a fist bump is--she’s not  _ stupid _ , thank you. But--

(It’s warm, she thinks. She hasn’t had such an uncomplicated touch since Uzushio was standing and alive and it hurts.)

Kushina thinks of Konoha, of Mito holding her hands and telling her what it means to be a Jinchuuriki. She thinks of the Hokage, the weight of his hand on her shoulder as he offers her condolences for her fallen village. She thinks of classmates, of hair pulling and bruises caused by fists because she doesn’t fit in.

It burns something fierce in her gut and she turns away. Kushina tears her teeth into her bottom lip hard enough to split skin, not caring for the blood dripping down her chin.

Kushina is a Konoha Shinobi, the next Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, she can’t betray her village just because of some boy.

It almost makes her laugh, something wild and ugly bubbles in her chest and with practice she smothers it until it’s nothing but ash.

Kumo is the enemy, she reminds herself. That boy is the enemy.

She ignores the way something in her disagrees.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know where i'm going with this story so don't expect much sense out of it.


End file.
